Revising Appointment of Outstanding Sports Persons Rules
*Concerns flagged at many quarters remain unaddressed
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 12: Clearly establishing that committees are framed just to dump the issues of immense importance, a panel of senior bureaucrats, which was assigned the task of revising the Jammu and Kashmir Appointment of Outstanding Sports Persons Rules, 1998 nearly six month back, has failed to submit its report till date.
This is notwithstanding the fact that the necessity of revisiting these Rules was projected before all the relevant quarters particularly Lieutenant Governor Manoj Kumar Sinha by none else than the sports persons, who have marked their performance at various important international and national events.
Official sources told the EXCELSIOR that a number of outstanding sports persons of different parts of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir personally called on the Lieutenant Governor a number of times and projected the requirement of carrying out amendments in the Jammu and Kashmir Appointment of Outstanding Sports Persons Rules, 1998 so that they get appointment in the Government services as per their merits and performance.
Accordingly, on the directions of the Lieutenant Governor, the General Administration Department vide Government Order No. 260 dated March 23, 2021 constituted a committee headed by Principal Secretary to the Government, Home Department to revise the criteria for short-listing of outstanding sports persons for appointment against the posts earmarked under sports quota.
The committee comprising Principal Secretary to the Government, Youth Services and Sports, Additional Director General of Police Coordination (PHQ), Commissioner Secretary General Administration Department, Secretary, Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Director General, Youth Services and Sports and Secretary Sports Council J&K was asked to submit report within the period of 30 days—by April 23, 2021.
However, much to the disappointment of the sports persons, the panel of bureaucrats has failed to complete the assigned task within the stipulated time-frame, sources informed, adding “what to talk of making recommendations within the period mentioned in the Government order, the committee has not submitted report till date”.
“Interestingly, even the Youth Services and Sports Department and Sports Council, which have the mandate to look into the grievances of the sports persons and try to resolve the same within the shortest possible time, have not bothered to exert pressure for the completion of the task despite being made members of the committee”, sources regretted.
They disclosed that the committee has held deliberations on the assigned task twice-thrice but even the draft report has not been finalized till date. “This is mainly because the Youth Services and Sports Department has not furnished the comments sought by the panel of bureaucrats”, sources said.
“Unless the panel headed by the senior bureaucrat submits the draft report/recommendations to the Government no decision vis-à-vis amendments in the Jammu and Kashmir Appointment of Outstanding Sports Persons Rules, 1998 can be made”, they further said.
As per the existing Rules, the outstanding sports persons can be given only non-gazetted Government job that too particularly in the Jammu and Kashmir Police but a number of persons who have excelled in very important sports events want the Government to offer them gazetted posts.
“Certain members of the committee are of the view that adequate number of posts should be fixed particularly in Youth Services and Sports Department and Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council so that after appointment as per these Rules they can contribute directly for the promotion of different sports activities”, sources informed.
When contacted, some members of the committee, while wishing anonymity, confirmed that report has not been submitted to the Government till date. “We will finalize the draft soon after the receipt of replies on certain queries from the Youth Services and Sports Department”, they added.
“The Government should put in place a mechanism so that the committees which are assigned important tasks, submit reports within the fixed timeline otherwise the concerned persons draw an impression that Government only dumps the issues by assigning the task to officers”, sources said.
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